Egg treating machine



Jan. 22, 1935. w. G. HOWARD EGG TREATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 13, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l I; a h a z w m QQWQ) w% Y QQNW Jan. 22, 1935. WHG. HOWARD 1,988,795

EGG TREATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE EGG TREATING MACHINE Willis G. Howard, Indianapolis, Ind., assignorto The Sterolene Company, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Illinois Application February 13, 1933, Serial Ne. 656,406 '11 Claims. (01. 99 2) These improvements relate to machines for wires on which the trays slide. This constructreating eggs by dipping them in-a liquid adapttion provides a smooth and even line contact for ed to preserve-them. The present improvements the trays. The upstanding ridge construction in relate more specifically to three features of such the Ford patent cited present some difiiculties of r machines, one of which is means at the front end construction to preserve the desired evenness of 5 and also at the rear end for inverting a tray-filler their upper sliding edges, and it is also more er; unit containing eggs, the second feature being impensive than the present one. With respect to proved sliding surfaces in a return chute for the the rollers of my copending application, that'contrays, and the third feature being a wiper for re struction is relatively expensive, and the inertia moving excess treating liquid. of these numerous rollers, coupled with friction 10 Patent No. 1,814,680 of July 14, 1931 to Buron their bearings, renders themovement of the dette Ford lus at s a Complete ea in trays on them less free, easy and rapid than with machine of the kind herein fragmentarily shown, the taut wires herein shown. These taut wires and that patent shows also what is old at this have acertain yield and resiliency under action time with respect to means for inverting trays of which may contribute to the highly-satisfactory eggs at the front and rear ends of the machine, result of their use. In any event, the trays slide and it also shows sliding surfaces in the form of on these wires more satisfactorily in every way upwardly-projecting ridges in the return chute than according to either of the foregoingmeans on which the trays may slide. My copending apheretofore suggested. Plication serial d July 3 1931, In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical longi- 20 n in ma hin shows h m yp tudinal medial sectional view of such parts of of machine as here illu trated in part, and ha the machine as are necessary to illustrate the application illustrates pivoted rollers on which present improvements, the trays and tray-filler the trays travel in the return chute. units being shown in full lines. The machine Parts Omitted from the present drawings y is broken away interiorly to omitthe egg-treat- 25 be considered to be in accordance with either the ing mechanism. The machine is fairly long, and above-mentioned patent or application, or acmost of thechannel parts leading to and from rdin t any th r n wn r pr f r d 0011- the treating mechanism are also omitted; Structibn, the Omitted parts being chiefly w Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of respect to the egg-treating part of the machine the inverter at the left-hand end of'Fi g. 1; 30 which, so far as the present details are concerned, Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the inverter of may be of any approved form. Fig. 2;

W t r p to the ay-fi l u invertiner Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional viewof features, the object is to provide a construction the inverter at the right-hand 'end of Fig.1 and g r according to which the operation is rendered showing a tray of eggs with an associated filler 35 more easy and rapid, and with the avoidance of and flat moved into position to be inverted; certain objections such as impact shocks due to Fig. 5 is a perspective'view of the inverter of the long swinging action under spring tension Fig, 4; r present inthe Ford device above referred to, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan I due also to the periodic breakage of that longiview of a portion of the return chute showing 40 tud a yp ng. One notable advanconstruction details where the direction of the tage of the present construction is that the intaut wires is changed; and

verting action takes place in a small localized Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view as on the area due to the fact that the holder of the invertline 7-7- of Fig. 6.

ing mechanism is pivoted on an axis at the mid- Turning first to' the inverter marked, A it is 45;

dle portion of the holder, and the operator does in the form of an open box-like structure made not need to move his arms widely or change the of sheet metal having a bottom 10 the shape of position of his body in operating the present dewhich is shown in Fig. 3, an end wall 11, a top vice. Other objects are simplicity of construc- 12 which is shorter than the bottom 10, a, fu11..

tion and fewness of parts. In one of the forms length side wall 13 (Fig. 3) and a relativelyis'hort shown the holder continues to turn around in sidewall 13a. The inverter is pivotedat 14. and one direction, making for speed. Other objects 141; on a horizontal axis which is between the, and adva W pp ter. front and rear ends and between its top andjbot- With respectto the sliding surfaces for the retom planes and may be said to pass transversely turn chute, I herein illustrate two tightly spanned through themiddle portion ofthe holder; These pivots or trunnions 14, 14av are mounted in standards 15 secured to the frame F of the machine. Figs. 2 and 3 show that trunnion 14a. is elongated and carries a coiled torsion spring 17 having an extension 18 which bears upon the lateral extension 10a of the bottom 10, the other end of the spring being secured at 19 (Fig. 2) to the associated standard 15. The action of the spring is such that when the inverter A is turned through one hundred eighty degrees and then released it will come back to its original position as shown in Fig. 1. I show cushions at 16 and a readily releasable friction catch at 16a (Fig. 2) to prevent chattering should the holder A be allowed to swing back without much or any restraint.

In treating machines of this general kind the eggs are placed in a metal tray about an inch high and having appropriate means for holding say three dozen eggs. Such a tray is shown in side elevation and marked 20 in Fig. 1. The eggs to be treated are deliveredto the front end of the machine in crates, having been packed in the crates inrunits of 36 eggs each. In each unit the eggs rest on what is called a flat, which is marked 21 .in Fig. 1 and which is a square piece of'cardboard or the like formed with 36 seats for the eggs respectively, and the eggs rest on these seats. There is also a cellular construction marked 22 in Fig. 1 called a filler and which rests'on the flat and partitions each egg from the adjacent one, thefiller having 36 square cells defined by its cardboard construction. The operator lifts out of the crate one of these units containing eggs, and rests it on the table part 24 in Fig. 1, and then places on that unit the metal tray marked 20. He then slides the assembly, which I shall call a tray-filler unit, into the inverter A as shown in Fig. 1. He now turns inverter A on its axis and this delivers the tray upon the rollers 25, the eggs now resting on the metal tray instead of on the flat, and the flat being at the top. The reason for this inversion is to establish the eggs upon the metal tray to hold them in their defined arrangement while passing through the hot-treating liquid. The filler and the flat may be lifted away after the inversion or, according to my copending application, they may travel to the treating chamber (not shown) together with the metal tray and there be automatically removed from the eggs until the eggs are treated and then automatically replaced thereon. These are details with which the present invention is not concerned.

Turning to the inverter marked B, at the righthand end of Fig. 1 and shown further in Figs. 4 and 5, there is a bottom or base 30, of sheet metal, which is common to both sides of the device. On one side of it there is a housing structure comprising a top wall 31, side walls 32 and a rear wall 33. On the other side and diagonally across the axis of rotation is a similar houslng device the corresponding walls of which are marked 31a, 32a and 33a. The horizontal trunmons 35 are midway between the front and rearedges of the base 30, and these trunnions are mounted for rotation in standards 36 secured to the frame of the machine. This inverter B continues to turn in the same direction, as shown by thev arrows in Fig. 1.

After the tray of eggs has been treated by the treating mechanism (not shown) it is delivered upon a downwardly-inclined track including rollers 37 on which the tray of eggs, with the filler and the flat replaced thereon, and travels to the inverter B, as shown in Fig. 1, Where the tray is marked 20a, the fiat 21a and the filler 22a, and which assembly I am calling a tray-filler unit herein.

In the path of this travel to the discharge end of the device I provide a transversely-wide brush marked 40 in Fig. 1, in a fixed position and extending into the path of the bottom of the tray and of the bottom of the eggs exposed through the tray, and this brush 4O wipes away the remaining excess of treating liquid. By this time much of such excess has dropped off of the eggs and tray, but a considerable amount still remains in the form of a bulbous collection at the bottom of the eggs respectively. This remaining excess comes away freely under the brush, and the brush also removes excess masses of oil accumulated at the lower portions of the tray. I believe this wiper 40 is a novel feature and is of distinct value in the operation.

Fig. '1 shows a unit consisting of a tray-20b, a flat 21b and a filler 22b in inverted positionjand ready to be slid to the right upon the unloading platform 42. The tray is now at the top. There is a depression 42a in the table 42. The operator normally moves the unit marked '2 a little farther around till its front end meets the depressed part 42a. As the parts are illustrated, thepart 30a of the bottom 30 acts as a stop to restrainthe advance of the oncoming unit marked 11. This feature is useful chiefly when the operator desires to block the advance for any reason. The part 30a is normally carried out of such advanceblocking position. While unit 2 is being slid away from inverter B, unit 11 is advancing and finally comes into the position shown in Fig. 4, that is,

into the compartment or receptacle partly defined by walls 30, 31a and 33a, at which time the rear end of unit y is supported by wall 31a and its rear end is supported by the oppositely-disposed rollers 37a one of which is shown in Fig. 4. Unit 11 will rest there indefinitely and until the operator turns the inverter B when unit y in Fig. 4 will assume theposition of unit 2 in Fig. 1. The greater weight'of'unit z to the right of the turning axis will hold the front end of the unit tilted downward slightly.

A question may arise in connection with the forward movement of a unit as y in Fig. 1 during the time that unit a is being inverted. No difiiculty occurs for the reason that when the operator places hishand at the arrow marked y in Fig. 4, to hold unit 3; while being turned, and with the same hand or with both hands turns the inverter and its contents over, the action is so relatively rapid that the slow-moving units approaching this station have scarcely started to get into motion until the tilting action has been completed. The angle of approach inclination is not very great and it takes a little while for the series of trays to begin to move, and they start moving very slowly under gravity. They pick up speed, however, so that by the time the tray as 2 is slid off onto the table 42, the tray 2012 removed, and the eggs in the filler and on the flat disposed of, the oncoming unit as 11 has had ample time to come into the inverting position. The operator does not have to hurry in turning the units over, his natural, free and easy movements being rapid enough to prevent the oncoming filler from obstructing the turning movement.

The type of inverter shown at B is peculiarly easy to operate, is unusually rapid, and provides that one operator at the delivery end of the machine will dispose of the treated eggs as rapidly as they can be treated by the treating mechanism.

When aunit as z has-been moved upon platform-42 in Fig'l the operator first removes the metal trayasZOb andinsertsit through-the opening 45. into the return chute defined by adownwardly-inclined wall-46and an upwardly-inclined wall 47'leading to a receptacle 48-into'which are deposited. the empty trays a few of which are marked respectively 20c, 20d and 20e in Fig. 1. There are side walls 46a: and 47a cooperating withthe bottom walls to'define' a rectangular channel in which'the trays: move. The return chute has an oil-collecting depression 49'- at its lowest pointandthe return chute collects drippings from the brush 40 and otherwise from the units passing to the inverter B from the treating chamber.

The only novel feature in connection with the return chute is a pair of wires marked 50 in Fig. 6, one of which is shown in Fig. 1. Each wire is secured at 52 (Fig. 1) as by forming a hook in the wire and passing the hook through a hole in the fixed angle-iron 53, the wire 50 passing above the angle-iron as shown so that the trays will slide freely past the angle-iron 53. At the right hand end of the machine a book 55 is formed in each wire, the hook passing through a hole in a screw 54 threaded in a fixed metal piece 55a, with a nut 56 on the bolt to draw the wire taut.

At the lowest place in the return path I provide a fixed transversely-extending angle-iron 57 having two holes therethrough as at 58 (Fig. 7) through which the wires extend, and, to provide a path for the trays over the angle-iron 57, I provide a metal shield 59 which is held in position by a metal brace 60 secured to shield 59 and also to the angle-iron 57. The front and rear ends of shield 59 extend below the planes of the two wires 50 so that the oncoming trays slide freely and easily upon the shield 59 and slide thereupon.

When the operator inserts a tray as 20b (Fig. 1) through opening 45 he gives a whole series of trays in the return chute a gentle push and they all get into motion and slide freely, and one of them spills into receptacle 48. The operator could give a stronger push and cause several of the trays to spill into the receiving receptacle. The object is to provide sliding surfaces that will enable the trays to be returned with the least amount of effort and loss of time and without noise, and I believe I have accomplished that desideratum by the taut wires illustrated and described.

I contemplate as being included in these improvements all such variations, changes and departures from what is herein specifically illustrated and described as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an egg-treating machine, means for inverting an egg-containing unit of the character described comprising means forming an open holder into which such unit may be inserted in substantially horizontal position, said holder being pivotally mounted on an axis passing horizontally and transversely through the substantially middle portion of the holder between the front and rear ends 'thereof and to turn at least approximately one hundred and eighty degrees on said axis, to invert such unit, with closelyassociated means upon which the unit may be transferred after the inversion thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 hereof in which there is a coiled torsion spring on said axis and operatively associated with said holder to return the holderto initial position after the tray-fill'erunit has been inverted.

- 31 111 an egg-treatingmachine, an inverter of the character described comprising an openended holder including a flat bottom wall and upper, side and end retaining means into which holder a tray-filler unit of the character described may be inserted'by' a substantially horizontal'slid ing movement and rest in a substantially horizontal position, said holder being pivotally mounted on an axis passing horizontally through theholder transversely thereof and between the front and rear ends thereof in the generallymiddle portion of the holder whereby the holder may turn at least approximately one hundred and eighty degrees on said axis to invert the trayfiller unit, with closely-associated means upon which the tray-filler unit may be transferred after the inversion thereof.

4. The device of claim 3 hereof in which there is a coiled torsion spring on said axis and operatively associated with said holder to return the holder to initial position after the tray-filler unit has been inverted.

5. In an egg-treating machine, an inverter of the character described comprising a holder having a substantially fiat base, means forming with said base an open-ended pocket on one side of and near one end of said base, means forming with said base an open-ended pocket on the other side of and near the other end of said base, said holder being pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis substantially on the plane of the base and substantially midway between its ends, each of said pockets being open toward said axis and each being adapted to receive a tray-filler unit of the character described, said holder beingmounted to turn through three hundred and sixty degrees in one direction, with means for conducting a tray-filler unit into one of said pockets to be inverted by turning the holder substantially one hundred eighty degrees.

6. The device of claim 5 hereof in which said last-mentioned means provide a downwardly-inclined path for automatically conducting by gravity to said pivoted holder below the turning axis thereof a series of tray-filler units of the character described, whereby alternate ones of said series will enter alternate ones of said pockets when the holder is successively turned substantially one hundred and eighty degrees.

I. In an egg-treating machine, an inverter of the character described comprising a holder having a substantially fiat base, walls forming with said base an open-ended pocket on one side of and near one end of said base, walls forming with said base an open-ended pocket on the other side of and near the other end of said base, said holder being pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis substantially on the plane of the base and substantially midway between its ends, each of said pockets being open toward said axis and each being adapted to receive a tray-filler unit of the character described, said holder being mounted to turn through three hundred and sixty degrees in one direction, with means for automatically conducting a tray-filler unit into the lower one of said pockets when said base is substantially horizontal to be inverted by turning the holder substantially one hundred and eighty degrees.

8. In an elongated egg-treating machine, the combination with means forming a return chute for trays, of a pair of substantially parallel taut wires extending substantially from one end of ;the chute to the other end thereof and providing a slideway for the trays.

9. In an elongated egg-treating machine, a slideway for trays comprising wires secured near one end of the machine, extending downward and then upward substantially parallel to each other to near the other end of the machine, means near said other end for drawing the wires taut, with means at the low portions of the wires holding them in their normal position against the strains of said tightening means.

10. The slideway of claim 9 hereof in which there is a cover for said holding means at said 

